1. Field
The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for improving the electro-optic coefficient (r33) in organic polymeric electro-optic materials.
2. Background
Electro-optic EC materials have attracted interest due to their potential applications in optical data transmission and optical information processing. For example, an EC device, such as a phase modulation waveguide, affects a change in the phase of light propagating through it. This change in phase may be accomplished through the application of an applied potential across the electro-optic material, causing a change in the refractive index of the material. The change in refractive index in turn leads to a change in the phase of the propagating light.
The degree of change in refractive index is due, in part, to the electro-optic coefficient of a material. The electro-optic coefficient is referred to as “r33”. The r33 coefficient is defined as the change in refractive index through an electro-optic material per applied volt (pm/V). For some optical applications, the higher the r33 coefficient of the material constituting an optical device, the better the performance of that optical device. Thus, techniques for improving the r33 value of a material are considered desirable.